Home > Science >
Egypt's foreign minister visiting Israel, first time in a decade

Egypt's foreign minister visiting Israel, first time in a decade

Ralph Mccoy | July 15, 2016, 13:50

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a $12.9 million plan to strengthen two Israeli settlements in the southern West Bank Sunday. Mr Shoukry also warned of the "constant deterioration" of the situation on the ground since the last round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks collapsed in April 2014.

Mandelblit issued a statement saying that "Following information relating, among others, to the prime minister, that was submitted to the attorney general by the Israel Police Investigation and Intelligence Department, the attorney general conducted several discussions with representtives of the State Attorney's Office, top officials in the Justice Ministry and officials in the Police Investigation and Intelligence Department".

On the sidelines - at least for now - is U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry and the White House, which has essentially given up trying to broker a deal in the remaining months of Obama's presidency.

In the latest sign of the warming relations, Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry visited Israel on Sunday to discuss efforts to renew stalled Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking, the first public visit by an Egyptian foreign minister in nine years.

Still the Israeli premier is resistant to internationalintervention in the conflict and says he prefers directnegotiations.

Shoukry during his visit stressed Egypt's commitment to offer all kind of support to both Palestinians and Israelis to resume peace negotiations.

"My visit to Israel today is a continuation of Egypt's longstanding sense of responsibility towards peace for itself and all the peoples of the region, particularly the Palestinian and Israeli peoples, who have suffered many decades due to the perpetuation of the conflict between them", Shoukry said.

Egypt supports both the Palestinian and the Israeli side to restore the peace talks, affirmed Shoukry, pointing that the starting point should be the adherence to worldwide resolutions, according to a statement released by the Foreign Ministry.

Last week, Netanyahu authorized hundreds of new homes for Israelis in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

"The Egyptian foreign minister is coming on behalf of the president of Egypt; we welcome him".

At the start of the meeting, Netanyahu reiterated that almost four decades have passed since Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty. It also aims at achieving peace, security and stability for the Israeli people, he added.

Where the Egyptian bid will go is anyone's guess. Jordan is the only other Middle East country that followed suit.

The warm response shared by the two sides contrasts their receptions to Western efforts to bring about peace, starting in the British Mandate Period, as The Christian Science Monitor's Lucy Schouten reported June 3.

Netanyahu, leading one of the most right-wing governments in Israeli history, said that he opposes the French gambit and other global efforts, such as parallel moves in the United Nations.

"It should be emphasised that this is an inquiry and that no criminal investigation has been launched regarding the prime minister", it said.

The Palestinians are suspicious.

Netanyahu visited Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Ethiopia, where he discussed increased cooperation with local leaders, including on matters of technology and security.

The analysts are wary but watchful. "I hope everybody listening to me in Egypt, the Arab region, the Palestinians and the Israelis, will pay attention".